The Russian Crisis

CHAPTER 43

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

"Detective Sergeant Jaya Kumar." She held out a business card after telling Jackson her name.

He had arrived at Toronto Western Hospital a little after 10 a.m. Wednesday, a day after the news conference at JPI H.Q. He had been directed by the Information desk staff to a recovery room instead of the ICU Maxim Blax had occupied a day before. The police detective had been in Blax's private room and was closing her grey notepad as he entered.

"And you are?"

"Jackson Phillips. I'm ... I'm with JPI," Jackson said, realizing he didn't know how to introduce himself in his new - or old - role at the company.

"You don't seem too sure," said DS Kumar. She was grinning but Jackson realized the East Indian woman before him had already seized command. He also realized that the tall, black-haired, brown-skinned and handsome woman had intelligence shining in her eyes. Her brown eyes were bright and penetrating and her smile didn't seem to reach them as they remained fixed on Jackson's face. She was putting him in the right box.

"To tell the truth," Jackson began and felt foolish saying, "I'm officially retired so I'm out of practice identifying myself. I will say that I find myself filling in for Max in his ..." he paused to look at the patient in the bed. "... enforced absence."

Max was free of tubes connected to machines meaning that he was breathing on his own and was able to process real food instead of intravenous liquid. He still had a large bandage around his head and an arm and shoulder were heavily bandaged. In short, he was a mess. After being run over by a car, what else was new?

"So," said the detective, watching Jackson closely, "you are the new CEO at JPI?"

"I'm the founder and former CEO," answered Jackson with a steady gaze into DS Kumar's eyes. "So, I'm the logical, temporary replacement for Max."

The detective broke off the staring contest and opened her notepad again. She made a note.

"You could do that with your smartphone, you know," Jackson casually said.

The police woman glared at him. "Just being helpful," he grinned.

She held her look for a beat. Then she matched his grin. "Enough of the repartee, Mr. Phillips. Did you want to chat with Mr. Blax?"

"Sure, after you're finished here." Jackson stood aside to allow her to reach the door in a straight line.

"Just a couple of questions," Mr. Phillips.

Jackson completed his takeover of the environment. "Outside, detective. Be glad to." He swept his hand toward the door and she took the heavy hint.

Jackson moved to Max's bedside. "Hey, Max. How are you doing?"

The man in the bed had his eyes closed but Jackson noted the movement under his eyelids. He gave Max a few seconds.

"Hello, Jackson." His voice was weak and hoarse. His eyes opened slowly. They were dull but focused. "How are you?"

Jackson couldn't help a chuckle. "The real question is how you are, Max. I hear you had a battle with a car."

"And the car won," Max murmured. "Yes. Heard that one."

Jackson was surprised at Max's tone. It seemed friendly and relaxed, unlike the ridiculous arrogance of the man Jackson had last encountered at JPI.

"I'm full of drugs, Jackson. Also, very tired." Max's eyelids closed again.

"I won't be long, Max. Just here to pay my respects. And I really mean that. I'm very concerned about you."

With his eyes closed, Max was still alert enough to speak, albeit in a barely audible voice. "... don't blame you, Jackson. I've been a jerk. Going to go..." Jackson thought the man had fallen asleep again and turned slightly to leave the bedside. "Tell her I'm so sorry," Max muttered. "... so very sorry."

"Who?" asked Jackson but there was no answer.

After stepping out of the room, Jackson was confronted by Sergeant Kumar. "Mr. Jackson. I need to talk to you." She held up her hand and pointed a finger down the hallway. She turned and marched off, expecting Jackson to follow her. He did.

He sat on the couch in the visitor waiting room at the end of the hall and waited until the detective returned with two cups of steaming coffee. Milk, no sugar. She placed his cup on the table at his elbow and took a seat in a chair facing the couch. "We won't be disturbed," she said glancing at the now-closed door to the room.

"You've got pull," Jackson commented after sipping his coffee.

"Cops have pull all over the place. We find it comes in handy, Mr. Phillips."

It was a reminder of the positions they were playing and the beginning of an inquisition that left Jackson annoyed and impatient.

"You finished, detective?" She had asked Jackson a list of questions that sounded like they had been prepared for Jeopardy. 'Where were you the evening of...? Who told you about the accident in the first place? What do you think happened? Why would someone push Mr. Blax into traffic...?'

In each case, Jackson had answered curtly with one or two words or denied any knowledge. He had interrogated many people himself and knew the game well. He could have called a lawyer but, number one, he didn't know of any criminal lawyer off the top of his head and, number two, he didn't feel he was under suspicion - at the moment. Number three, he thought to himself, was that he was finding out a great deal through Kumar's questioning.

"Well, Mr. Phillips, you've been a great help," said Jaya Kumar, snapping her notepad shut and dropping her ballpoint into a black shoulder bag. She took a light, reddish brown jacket from the chairback, picked up the bag from the floor and stood over Jackson, hand out.

He ignored her offer of a handshake and looked up at her. "Irony." He smiled. "One question, detective. Do you have any idea who did push Max into traffic since I didn't?"

She returned the smile but there was no humour in it. "We will have a good idea, Mr. Phillips. I'm sure of that." DS Kumar withdrew her hand and departed.

Jackson didn't mention the mystery 'her' to whom Max had apologized. He wasn't going to point police to someone who apparently was important to Max alone. Was the 'her' Max mentioned one of his two former wives? Was it a current girlfriend? An ex-girlfriend? Jackson had no idea but intended to find out. He would take Max's message to 'her' once he found her and perhaps would fill in another blank on the page that was Max's life as JPI's CEO.